Love & Wisdom
by AnimaAmore
Summary: Iroh is a kind old man whose wisom has often gone unheeded by his nephew Zuko, the Firelord. However, Zuko has a challenging problem: he has a crush on Katara and has no idea how to court her. Maybe Iroh's wisodm and tea aren't so ridiculous after all.
1. Chapter 1

_**Love & Wisdom**_

**Hey, new story! Yay! Although I haven't finished any of my other ones, which is a shame. But I AM planning on finishing them, I'm just having a bit of a writer's block at the moment. Anyway, please read, review and enjoy!**

_**Summary: The war is over, and Zuko is the new Firelord. Iroh, his uncle, is a kind old man whose words have often gone unheeded by Zuko. However, Zuko has a challenging problem: he has a crush on his friend Katara, and he has absolutely no idea how to court her. Maybe Iroh's wisdom and tea are not so ridiculous after all.**_

X

Zuko was in a bad mood. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep the night before, or the one before that; not to mention his council was being difficult with his decisions plus all the tedious paperwork he had to deal with during the daytime. Anyone would be in a bad mood with all the stress that he had to deal with.

Zuko scowled at his reflection on the mirror of his bathroom. He was not a vain man, but he didn't enjoy his paler and rougher than usual skin; the dark bags under his eyes which only stood out more by his paleness; his bloodshot, dry eyes that glared at anyone unfortunate enough to be in the same room as him; and his messy raven-black hair that was stiff as rock with a greasy sheen to it. And that was only his face. His muscles were stiff and sore, giving him a rigid look and keeping him uncomfortable throughout the day, no matter what exercise, massage, clothing, or stance he took.

Yes, being the Firelord was a major pain.

There was a soft knock on the wooden doors of his bedroom, and Zuko suppressed an annoyed groan as he suppressed the impulse to snap at the poor soul on the other side. "Yes?"

"My Lord," a servant called out respectfully as he opened one of the giant doors ajar slightly. "Breakfast is served. Sir Iroh has arrived and is awaiting you at the main gardens."

Zuko took a deep breath and held it for five seconds before slowly exhaling. His uncle was here. He was the only man patient enough to stand Zuko's bad moods. Plus he was more like a father to him than his own father was. Maybe Iroh could help him with the chaos that he now called his life. "Tell him I'll be right there," he roughly answered the servant. Before the man could bow and leave, he quickly added, "please." The servant paused, not expecting him to say that, but he soon recovered and bowed, then left.

Zuko sighed as he rubbed his temples with his hands. He was content enough for remembering to say 'please,' but he still had to work at saying it without pausing in the middle of a sentence. The reason he was cautious with his manners was simple: he didn't want to be like his former, younger self, or his father for that matter, always just barking orders and not caring that he was speaking to another human being, not an insect.

He splashed his face with some cold water to rub the sleep off his eyes and quickly dried himself before picking some simple clothes out of his closet – a pair of maroon loose-fitting pants, a deep red short sleeved shirt, his Fire Nation style shoes and a black belt. He was going to chat with his uncle over breakfast then do some training, he had no need to put on his fancy Firelord attire.

He paused by a mirror and looked at his hair. It had grown recently so it reached just past his shoulders now. At twenty-one years old, Zuko still hadn't come to terms with cutting his hair. Sure, he was bald before with a tiny little pony tail at the back of his head, but he found he quite enjoyed having a longer hair. It provided a nice protection from the sun, for one. And Katara always enjoyed brushing it whenever she got the chance; not that he'd complain since he enjoyed how gently she worked the brush and her fingers through his black tresses. Not that he'd admit it, of course.

He snapped out of his daydream with a shock. Damn it, he was doing it again. He grabbed an elastic and yanked his hair back into a low ponytail, sighing irritably as he stalked out of his room and headed for the main gardens.

Katara. She was yet another (though far more enjoyable) reason that he hadn't been able to sleep. She invaded his mind with memories of the time they had spent together preparing for the war to overthrow the previous Firelord, his father. They had gotten off to a rough start, a _very_ rocky start, before they finally became friends. After the war, Katara had offered to stay with him until he got used to being the new Firelord when he was a month shy of turning seventeen and getting his country, the Fire Nation, out of the huge mess his father, grandfather and his other ancestors had created for it during the Hundred Years War.

As Zuko turned a corner and neared the gardens where his uncle awaited him, he absentmindedly wondered what would have happened if the exotic waterbender hadn't stayed with him when and for as long as she did. Things wouldn't have been as good as they were, that'd be fore sure. The Fire Nation had all but enslaved, held prisoner and terrorized the rest of the world, and it was thoroughly hated by the other nations. The Southern Water Tribe, especially, held a great amount of resentment towards his country, and with good reason. His father had ordered his army to capture all the Southern waterbenders and kill any who resisted. Luckily, if you could say that, there were few casualties since anyone who wasn't a waterbender or a warrior pretty much hid. Soon without their benders, the Southern Water Tribe was defenseless save for their warriors who fought bravely but were no match for the firebenders. Ever since then, every time there was a rumor of a waterbender being born there, the Fire Nation would go and capture the poor soul.

He winced. There was a time when the Southern Water Tribe hadn't had a waterbender for about twenty or thirty years when Katara was born. Her bending skills didn't show until she was about six or seven, so she was safe since her tribe was especially cautious to not let any outsider know about her bending. However, one way or another the Fire Nation got a whiff at the rumor and a group was dispatched to go retrieve her. His heart dropped low as he remembered Katara and Sokka, her brother, tell the story of the day the black warships arrived. While they were out exploring and playing, just being kids really, their mother had been cornered and ordered to reveal the identity of the waterbender or face the consequences. Her mother sacrificed herself and told the man that she was the waterbender. She was executed.

Zuko could empathize with her. He himself had lost his mother, although for different reasons. His mother just disappeared one day; no one knew where she went or why she left, although Zuko suspected his father had something to do with it. Katara had promised Zuko to help him find his mother, and she had kept her word. Only two years after he became Firelord, when he was nineteen, Katara had sent him a letter saying that she knew where his mother was. To make a long story short, he was finally reunited with his mother. She now lived mainly in the Fire Palace with him, but she enjoyed traveling so she wasn't there right now.

"You know, nephew, as much as you enjoy meditating it isn't healthy to be so deep in thought when you're walking. You could hurt yourself."

Zuko snapped out of his thoughts and looked up at his uncle, who was sitting on the wooden platform with a cup of tea in his hands, giving him a small, warm smile.

"Uncle, I wasn't –"

BAM!

Zuko let out a string of barely concealed curses under his breath as he rubbed his nose, backing away from the golden pillar that he had walked into.

Iroh just smirked at his nephew and sipped his tea. "I told you so."

"Uncle, as much as I enjoy your company, I resent your attempts at humor," Zuko snapped moodily at him as he sat down beside him, crossing his legs instead of leaving them dangling like the old man.

"Who says I was being humorous? It _was_ the truth. I _did_ tell you so." He poured some tea for Zuko on a separate cup before filling his own cup again. "And I don't attempt to be humorous. I already am."

Zuko groaned. "Uncle, please."

Iroh chuckled. "Come now, nephew. Tell this old man what so thoroughly occupied your mind that you didn't see where you were going."

Zuko suppressed a blush as he took the little white porcelain cup in his hands and blew at the steam coming out of it. "I was reminiscing. About the war." It was the truth. He was thinking about the war. Just that he mainly thought about a certain girl he met during those dark times. But he couldn't tell his uncle that. Nosy old man that he was, who knew what conclusions he would jump to?

"Ah." His uncle nodded, sipping his tea gingerly. There were a few seconds of calming silence when Iroh spoke again. "Thinking about lady Katara, are we?"

Zuko spit out the mouthful of tea he was drinking, thumping his chest as he coughed out the bits of tea he had inhaled, while unsuccessfully trying to deny it between coughs. Iroh just looked on, amused. He was merely guessing, seeing what a good relationship those two have and how Zuko would quote her (unknowingly or not) when he was feeling down, training or in the council. He would also smile more widely when he received a letter from her than when he received a letter from their other friends, like Sokka, Aang and Toph.

After a few more seconds of coughing, Iroh patted Zuko's shoulder. "There, there, my boy. There's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Uncle, I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Of course you don't," Iroh soothed, trying hard not to let his amusement show on his face. It wasn't hard to tell Zuko was lying. His face was red, he had his arms crossed and he was looking away from him, his back straight as an arrow. "All I asked was if you were thinking about her. She is, after all, your closest friend outside of the Fire Nation and had a great influence to you and everyone else who knew her during the war." He shrugged, turning his attention back to his tea. "I don't see why you were so upset about that. What did you think I was implying?"

Zuko's eyes widened as he realized he had fallen in his uncle's trap. He cursed again, louder this time, before glowering at his uncle who was having a hard time not laughing into his tea.

"Very mature, Uncle," he snapped as he put the tea cup back on the plate and stood up. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go eat something before I go training. I have a busy day today." He paused, not wanting to say what he did next but knowing he had no choice if he wanted to keep practicing his manners. Through clenched teeth he asked, "Would you care to join me?"

"Certainly, nephew. Thank you for asking." Iroh set down his cup beside Zuko's on the plate and stood up, picking up the plate with the cups and the pot and taking it with him.

"Now Zuko, here's my advice. 'Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage'."(1)*

Zuko raised an eyebrow at the old man. "I'll keep that in mind, Uncle, although I have no idea what you're talking about."

Iroh just smiled complacently at him as they kept walking towards the dining room. "It's just something nice to know for the future," he said. _Especially if that future includes lady Katara._

**Uh-oh! Iroh is scheming a little bit, is he? Anyway, hope you enjoyed and tell me what you think. This is just the beginning, so I promise the next chapters will be better!**

**(1)* **_**"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage"**_** ~ Lao Tzu**

**If I use more than one quote in a chapter, I'll number them like I did here so you know who said which quote. **


	2. Chapter 2

**LOVE & WISDOM2**

As Zuko walked beside his uncle, who was half a step ahead of him due to his cheerfulness that morning, he vaguely wondered why Iroh seemed so energetic. Despite his age, Iroh was an extremely healthy man, and very laid back; almost to the point were he appeared to be what the people of the Earth Kingdom called a 'hippie.' The fact that he was always one for peace, even during the war, and his bizarre love for simple, natural things did nothing but encourage that misconception. Iroh didn't mind, he sometimes referred to himself as an "old hippie."

"Come now, Zuko, you're letting this old hippie beat you." Zuko looked at his uncle, raising his only eyebrow at him for the comment and for the coincidence.

"You may be old, Uncle, and quite possibly a… a 'hippie,' but we both know old age has done nothing to deteriorate your health. Stop patronizing me."

Iroh chuckled, balancing the tray with the pot and cups in one hand as he adjusted his robe. "But you just make it so easy, dear nephew."

"Hmph. If anyone should be patronized, it should be you. You are exceptionally childish today, Unlce," Zuko sighed as he and Iroh walked through the great palace doors that lead from the hallway to the dinning room. A servant quickly appeared and bowed to them, before taking the tray from Iroh and heading to the kitchen as the two men walked to outside balcony and took their seats on a small, round table.

Just because they were royalty and rich didn't mean they had to eat in the long table that could easily accommodate fifty people or more every meal. The long table was reserved for big occasions.

It was just past dawn, the sun still barely just risen from the sea, and Zuko was glad that he, like most firebenders, rose with the sun just like some waterbenders rise with the moon. _Like__Katara_.

"Now, Zuko," Iroh broke the easy silence in which they were admiring the mountains, and the ocean between them. The young Firelord, who was supporting his chin in his hand, his elbow on the table, glanced at the old man before returning his attention to the scenery.

"Yes, Uncle?"

"While we wait for our breakfast, would you care to resume our earlier discussion?"

Zuko glanced back at his uncle, his brow furrowed in confusion and suspicion. Although they had had an easy conversation, it wasn't very long or meaningful. Why would his uncle want to continue chatting about something that was irrelevant?

At his nephew's confused look, Iroh smiled gently and gave Zuko a clue. "You know, about how you were reminiscing about the war and Lady Katara." Zuko resisted the urge to throw his hands up in exasperation. Wouldn't his uncle just drop it already?

Instead, Zuko just sighed and turned his head towards Iroh, wary. Iroh might be meddling, but if it was just a chat that focused on the past more than on the lovely waterbender, he didn't mind. Much. "Alright, Uncle. What do you want to talk about? There are many things about the past worth discussing."

Iroh shrugged nonchalantly, thanking a servant who arrived with a small pot of hot water and some teabags with a set of cups. His silent response sent warning lights in Zuko's head. His uncle was being secretive, and giving mixed signals – he wanted to talk about something but he was stretching silence before he revealed the topic of discussion he wanted to talk about.

This was not good.

After the servant left, Iroh resumed his tea routine – gingerly taking the small bag of tried leaves and fruit, almost as if they were fragile, and softly letting it soak in the hot water. After a few more seconds of silence, Zuko lost his patience and barked ,"Uncle!" not unkindly.

"Patience, nephew, patience," Iroh said simply without taking his eyes off his tea. "Remember your manners." Zuko ground his teeth, but said nothing else as his uncle finished his little (albeit ridiculous) tea ritual.

Finally, the tea was done to Iroh's satisfaction, and the old man poured a cup for Zuko and another for himself. After blowing to the softly rising steam emerging from the cup, Iroh turned back to his nephew and smiled. "Now, where was I?"

Zuko wanted to face palm, but he didn't. He had too much dignity for that. Instead, he accepted the cup of tea as he ground out, "You wanted to reminisce about the war."

"Oh, that's right," Iroh said, taking a sip of his tea. "I was just wondering what you believe are the ideal tributes necessary in a Fire Lady." Zuko's eyes bulged.

"Uncle, you aren't thinking of marrying me off, are you?" For the Spirits' sake, he neither cared nor was ready for something like that! Plus he was just too young!

"Calm yourself, Zuko," Iroh said complacently, soothing the surprised and angry youth. "I was only asking. I'm not saying you have to get married any time soon; I'm just getting you to think about what qualities are important in a Fire Lady so you can decide which ones are more essential and which ones are just trifles the kingdom can do without for when you _do_ decide to marry. That way when the council starts picking the maidens to be your wife candidates, you will have thought about what's important for a long time instead of just a few months or a year."

Zuko, who had stiffened and leaned across the table at the misconception, relaxed back into his wooden chair with red cushions, trying to push back the eminent headache he could feel coming. He took a swing at his tea, ignoring the burning sensation he got for taking such a large gulp at once. His uncle was right in that one thing, tea did help. Occasionally.

"I fail to see how asking about my future Fire Lady has to do with the past," he muttered roughly, his throat still burning slightly from the hot liquid.

"Think about it, my boy," Iroh encouraged the young Firelord. "It's only been a few years since the war. You had enemies and allies who were actually the opposite. You faced danger, traitors, betrayal, and scorn; you made friends out of old enemies and enemies out of supposed friends. You saw men do evil deeds in the name of good during those dark times. Did you learn nothing about what characteristics are essential for a leader?"

Zuko was stumped. It's true he had witnessed, hell, been _part_ of everything his uncle mentioned, but aside from resenting some people while admiring others for what they did, he never truly took the time to think about the characteristics that made those people act like they did.

There's Jet, for example. Like many people, Jet abhorred the Fire Nation with a passion, and was determined to eradicate any Fire citizen or village to avenge what the Fire Nation had done under Zuko's father's rule. He nearly accomplished his plan, once. There was a small Fire Nation village, not really involved with the war, near the Earth Kingdom border. Jet wanted to flood the village and drown all its inhabitants; men, women and children alike. As long as they were from Fire, they were no different than a pest that needed to be wiped out. The villagers were helped by the GAang (he still couldn't say the name without smirking), with Katara incapacitating Jet by freezing him to a tree with her waterbending while the others got the villagers out safely and led them to high ground.

Zuko was really impressed when Toph had told him the story, and he felt a wave of respect for the small Avatar group. They were enemies of the Fire Nation, yet they still defended and protected innocent Fire citizens from injustice.

"I think," said Zuko, carefully choosing his words as memories flashed in his mind's eye. "That a Fire Lady, or any noble for that matter, should be just. A Fire Lady has a lot of power, and abusing that power is not only shameful but also inappropriate in every sense of the word." Iroh nodded, encouraging him to continue. "She should also be compassionate. She must be able to sympathize with the people so she can adequately attend to their needs; plus she must also be able to make decisions based not only by what the law dictates but also by what she sees and feels. It makes no sense to throw a man in jail for not paying his rent on time if the only money he has goes to feed his family.

"Caring is another important attribute. It's really hard to rule a nation when a monarch doesn't care about the nation or its people."

"You're doing good, Zuko." Iroh nodded approvingly. Zuko was indeed doing well. "You're right, those are all very important things a monarch must have. What else?"

Zuko closed his eyes, trying to think. "She must also be balanced between being a dreamer and being down-to-earth. She must use her imagination and dream up ways to not only meet everyone's needs, but also to enjoy her life. I know firsthand just what living by facts and with no dreams, no hope can do to a person. However, she can't be an airhead, no insult implied. What I mean is, she can't be dreaming all day. Facts are facts and must be dealt with. Dreams can help create a solution for a problem, but the problem must first be a fact, or else dreaming of ways to solve nothing helps nothing and no-one."

Iroh was pleased with Zuko. He had grown up a lot in the years after the war, and he was coming up with lots of good attributes a Fire Lady must have, and none of them were trifles. They all served a purpose, and the old man was proud of his nephew for thinking of attributes that not only served the Nation as a monarch, but also served the Fire Lady herself.

As Zuko paused to ponder some more, a servant knocked politely on the glass doors that led from the dinning room to the balcony they were at, and Iroh nodded permission for the young boy to come. The boy went unnoticed by Zuko, who was lost in his thoughts and memories, which suited Iroh just fine after the boy quickly bowed to him and conveyed his message in a quick whisper in his ear before Iroh scratched his small beard thoughtfully and replying to the boy with a nod, at which the youngster bowed again and left. The old man reached for the pot and served Zuko some tea, which young Firelord reached for subconsciously and sipped at, before pouring himself another cup.

Zuko took another sip and relaxed more into his chair, placing his ankle on his knee. Just, compassionate, caring, open-minded and realistic. Hm… I guess whoever the Fire Lady will be, she must also be loyal."

"Ah-ah, Zuko. Is loyalty all?" Cautioned Iroh.

Zuko looked at his uncle; understanding sinking in. "She must be loyal as long as she know it's the right thing. Whoever will be the Fire Lady needs to be loyal to a good cause. She shouldn't make the mistake I made – being loyal to my father and the Fire Nation despite knowing everything they did was wrong and cruel. I was loyal because I was blinded by what I so desperately thought I needed. Which also leads me to my next point. My Fire Lady must have good judgment. She should be able to distinguish a good person from a bad one, a good idea from a bad one.

"But she's human, after all. She will make errors, and one of the most important attributes I think a monarch should have is responsibility. Not only will she be responsible for the Nation, she should also take responsibility for whatever actions and decisions she takes, whether they were bad or wrong. There's nothing I most despise than a person who uses others as scapegoats for their mistakes. So therefore, she must also be brave, strong, determined, honest and trustworthy. Everyone will trust her to own up to her mistakes and bare the consequences; not to mention that it takes bravery, strength and honesty to stand before the council and the nation to admit you were wrong. Determination is an essential because it's pretty useless to come up with brilliant ideas and solutions if you don't fight to see them done."

"That's quite a long list, nephew," said Iroh as he contentedly drank his tea. "But they're all very good characteristics. Should I bring write them down so you don't forget them?"

"That might actually be a good idea, Uncle." Zuko was somewhat surprised to see his uncle reach into his coat's pocket and pull out a folded square parchment, turtle-moose feather and a small container of ink. Zuko looked at his uncle and shrugged, used to his uncle's antics. He was always prepared for everything.

"So lets se…," Iroh murmured to himself as he dipped his quill into the ink and unfolded the piece of parchment. "'_A__Fire__Lady__Must_ by Firelord Zuko.'"

"Uncle, please don't give the list a title," groaned the Firelord, covering his eyes with his hand. Iroh ignored him and continued writing, saying the names of the attributes in a soft murmur as he wrote them with surprisingly impeccable handwriting.

"Do you mind if I add one or two things of my own?" he asked. Zuko shrugged and told him to go ahead, so that's what Iroh did.

After a couple minutes, the list looked like this:

_**A Fire Lady Must **_

_By Firelord Zuko_

_Be just_

_Be compassionate_

_Be caring_

_Be open-minded_

_Be realistic_

_Be loyal_

_Be responsible_

_Be brave_

_Be strong_

_Be determined_

_Be honest_

_Be trustworthy_

_Be considerate_

_Be merciful_

_Be loving_

_Be happy_

_Be humble_

_Have good judgment_

_Have a sense of humor_

Iroh took the list and read it over. "I can understand considerate, merciful and maybe humble, but why happy, humorous and loving?"

"Well, she _is_ going to be your wife, Zuko. I'm not saying you have to be head over heels for each other, but it would be nice if you loved each other, at least to some extent. Plus, 'a loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge, (1**)***" explained the old man, his ear hearing voices nearing their location and he smiled to himself. "Humor I'd say speaks for itself. Wouldn't a wife who can laugh at a joke and crack some of her own make life easier? And happy, well, it's just really healthy and inspiring. Would you really like a wife who was everything but happy and lived her life in misery?"

Zuko frowned. "No, not really. That would only cause everyone else to be miserable."

Iroh nodded. "Exactly my point. And if she's happy, everyone else is. Plus if she's happy, that means she has a life aside from her role with the crown." He raised his index finger and moved it from side to side. "'Fortune and love favor the brave." (2)*

"Uncle, we both know that being royalty is a twenty-four/seven job. From the moment you become royalty, you stop being anything else."

"Ah, that's were you're wrong." Iroh stretched his arms, swinging his arms over his head. "You still haven't learned that it is when royalty do not take a break from their duties that they start to become sour from the pressure. If your Lady is happy, it means she can just be herself without being the Fire Lady first. Does that make sense?"

Zuko nodded. It did.

"So, now that we have that out of the way, what are your thoughts on Lady Katara?"

Zuko clenched his hand, tightening his hold on the little beige cup which still steamed with tea. _I__knew__it.__I__knew__he__wouldn__'__t__drop__it._ "What about Katara?"

"I'm just wondering what you think of her."

"Uncle, you already know my thoughts on her. She is brave; far braver than many of the men – warriors, soldiers and villagers alike – have the right to claim; she has a compassionate heart but that won't stop her from punishing those who she deems to have done wrong – and if she thinks someone has done something wrong, she's always right – she cares for people and animals alike, she likes to help and she despairs for those whose lives have been far from ideal. And she also fears for humans' humanity. After being involved in the war the way she was, her tolerance for cruelty and inhumanity reached an all-time low, not that she had much tolerance for it before. She's also very loyal, trustworthy, strong and fiercely determined. She believes in giving second chances, but she's also wary of giving third chances. She calms people down to avois conflict and tries to find a solution that satisfies everyone. And she's also very motherly, in a way. She's very responsible, not only for herself but also those around her. I'm sure that she will make a wonderful mother some day." He smiled.

"I'm so glad you think so highly of me, Firelord Zuko."

Zuko's eyes bulged, and he whipped around so fast he nearly fell of his chair. There, entering the glass doors, was _her_, in all her blue and white-robed glory. Katara, the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe, and his best friend.

"Katara!" he said, getting to his feet and walking over to where the bronze-skinned girl with the sapphire eyes stood smiling. "It's good to see you."

"Same to you, Zuko," Katara laughed as she hugged Zuko and kissed his cheek. "You look well."

"As do you. It's been far too long since we last saw each other."

"Agreed. Thank heaven for falcons, or else I wouldn't know what you're up to." They both grinned. Katara glanced over Zuko's broad shoulder to see Iroh seating on the table, pleasantly waiting for his turn to greet her. "Iroh!"

"Lady Katara," the old man greeted, nodding his head as he set his tea down and rose to meet the enthusiastic girl, returning the warm embrace she gave him. "How have you been, my girl?"

"It's gone very well. I have no complaints."

"And your brother? Aang and Toph? Suki?"

Katara laughed, taking a seat after Iroh waved her to one of the unoccupied chairs. "Sokka and Suki are fine. So fine, in fact, that I think Sokka is ready to propose to Suki!"

Iroh smiled widely while Zuko just grinned and crossed his arms. "I knew it. It's about time," the younger said.

"My, that's wonderful!" Iroh said, delighted.

Katara winked at them. "But it's a secret. Sokka wants to propose first and then announce it formally to everyone, so don't be surprised to find two invitations soon – one for the engagement party, and the other for the wedding!"

The trio laughed and the two men promised to keep this bit of info to themselves and to act surprised when the invitations arrived.

"I'm so happy for them," Katara gushed. "I can't wait to have Suki as my sister-in-law."

"Yes, she's a great person to have as an ally, friend, and family. And a terrible one to have as an enemy," Zuko added.

Katara's blue eyes twinkled, mischievously. "If you marry me she can be your sister too." Zuko tried not to choke at the teasing words, and the other two laughed before he joined in.

Soon some servants came in and set their breakfast before them before returning to the kitchen to attend to their duties. Their breakfast was simple, but mightily delicious. Katara more than once informed her hosts of her intentions to borrow their cook, and said cook, who came out himself to listen to what the guest had to say of his food, returned to the kitchen well pleased with a broad smile on his face.

Zuko couldn't help but notice how happy Katara was, and how infectious that happiness was.

After they finished their meal and the same servants who had brought their food had taken their plates away, Zuko crossed his arms and placed them casually on the table, giving Katara all his attention as he asked, "So, your visit is such a pleasant surprise. Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I would've escorted you into the palace myself had I known."

Katara raised her eyebrows at him, a little surprised herself. "You didn't know? But wasn't it you who sent me the invitation?"

"What invitation? I've sent you plenty." Zuko frowned. He was sure he'd sent her many invitations, but none asking her to arrive on that particular day, or for the next few weeks for that matter.

Katara, in response, reached into her brown lion-seal traditional Water Tribe bag and pulled out a beige parchment, neatly rolled and held together by what looked like the official Fire seal. Zuko looked at it for a second before he took it from her, his pale hands a drastic contract against her bronze ones.

He read it over quickly before giving it back to her, nodding his head once. "I didn't write that letter, but I have a feeling I know who."

"Oh?" Katara inquired, curiously as she gave him her full attention.

"Yeah," he confirmed, giving his uncle a pointed look.

Katara noticed this, and glanced at Iroh who sat quietly looking at them with a pleasant smile on his face. Zuko could swear he looked the tiniest bit smug.

"Iroh? It was you who invited me here?" Katara asked. The old man nodded.

"Aye, indeed I did. I missed my little waterbender, and this dummy –" he gestured at Zuko with his thumb, "– never got around to do it on time. So I thought I should take the initiative and let him enjoy his break without fussing over when to invite you over."

"That's so kind of you, Iroh," Katara smiled sweetly at the old general.

"Yes, very kind," followed Zuko, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Katara looked at him, puzzled why he sounded a little tense, but let it go. Zuko, on the other hand, was really suspicious about his uncle now.

Why had he invited Katara and not told him? He was definitely up to something. When Katara took his hand and dragged him away from his uncle and the balcony, half-asking half-demanding that he show her around and talk to her with promising Iroh that they'll play a game of jogi later, his suspicion only increased when he turned back to his uncle and the old man was smiling very self-satisfied, with a twinkle of mischief in his half-closed eyes.

" 'Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship – never,'" (3)*he said to no-one in particular. He turned to face the mountains, just in time to see the moon come out from behind a cloud, just a short distance away from the burning sun.

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><p><em><strong>QUOTES<strong>_

***(1) "A loving heart is the beginning of all knowledge." ~ Thomas Carlyle**

***(2) "Fortune and love favor the brave." ~ Ovid**

***(3) "Friendship often ends in love; but love in friendship – never." ~ Charles Caleb Colton**


	3. Chapter 3

_**Love & Wisdom Chapter 3**_

**I'm sorry!**

**Please forgive this poor author who has forsaken this story for so long! It was not my intention to do so. I'll admit it: as sad as it is, I got distracted and lost my inspiration. But now I'm back, and ready to get this going! Although I should warn you, these next few chapters are going to be shorter than the others because I want them to be sweet. This story focuses on the quotes, so I think slightly shorter chapters will do the trick.**

**Thanks to all of you who reviewed and alerted this story. It means so much to me! And never fear – although it may be a long time between updates, I WILL NEVER ABANDON MY STORIES! THEY WILL BE FINISHED IF IT'S THE LAST THING I DO!**

**Right then, ahem. Having said that, on with the story. **

**Please Read, Review and Enjoy!**

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><p>Zuko groaned as he let himself collapse on his bed. Man, Katara sure had a lot of energy for someone who had just travelled half-way around the world. The minute they had departed from the balcony, leaving Iroh there, she had all but dragged him around the <em>whole<em> palace, asking a million questions along the way.

Really, one would think that she had never set foot in the palace before. Or that she was in a museum.

After several hours of going through all of the Fire history, all of which decorated the Firelord's home in the form of art such as paintings, sculptures, rugs and carvings, Katara had decided she had had enough for one day and headed towards the main gardens to relax. Zuko couldn't be any more grateful for that.

They sat side by side, quietly talking about their lives since they'd last met. It was quite peaceful, actually, and Zuko couldn't help but notice how much he enjoyed the cheerful Waterbender's presence in his favourite place.

Just as Zuko finished telling Katara a funny story involving one of the Council members and pie, a soft breeze whiffed up and gently danced around Katara's hair, which was let out of the tight braid she had arrived in; a reminiscence of the good old days when they traveled with Avatar Aang to save the world from the corrupt Fire Nation.

Most of the girl's light chocolate-brown curls remained cascading down her back since they were so long and therefore too heavy for the breeze to pick up, but the few shorter ones that did join the wind in its little game danced around Katara's face as she laughed, not caring that she was laughing loudly or in a un-lady-like fashion. She was so carefree, so happy, and it was only the first day since she arrived.

By this point, as Zuko sat there watching her, he suddenly recalled that he and his uncle were sitting exactly where he and Katara were sitting now, and he remembered his uncle's words earlier that day. About how he often thought about Katara.

Zuko's face burned in embarrassment as he recalled how he had fallen into his uncle's trap. He should have known Iroh would pull something off like that! And darn it, he had almost given away his feelings.

Not that he truly knew what they were, anyway. Most of his childhood had been spent vanished from the Fire Nation and searching for the Avatar on his own, and then fighting the war before taking over the role of Firelord. That hadn't exactly let him explore many things, including the realm of feelings. As far as he knew, he cared deeply for Katara, but that was about it.

"Zuko?" Katara asked, concerned. The young Firelord turned his face towards her, and he silently sucked in a breath. Gods, she was a sight to see.

It was late in the afternoon, and the sun was about to set, making the light around the garden soften and the sky begin to take on a reddish-orange glow. The light was caressing Katara's face, outline every graceful, proud plane, and making her brown hair shine a deep maroon. The flowers, who held a light sheen to them due to being watered by the gardener not long ago, gleamed in the background, lending their spectacular colors to the gentle scene.

But what took his breath away were Katara's eyes; those sharp, deep turquoise orbs that seemed to glow in the little light there was, contrasting strongly with her dark skin. She was _magnificent_.

"Zuko? Are you alright?" Katara asked again, shaking the Fire man out of his stupor.

"What? Oh, yes. I'm fine," he answered, mentally slapping himself. What was wrong with him?

"You had me worried there for a second. You had your face, which was very red, in your hands, and when I called out to you the first time you seemed to be looking out into space," Katara explained.

"Oh, I was just thinking about some things. Nothing important, really. I apologize if I seemed rude."

Katara chuckled. "Why are you apologizing?" she asked, a playful smirk on her lips. "What _exactly_ were you thinking of?"

Zuko stared at her uncomprehending, but as soon as what she was implying filtered through his mind, his face once again burned all the way to the tips of his ears.

"What is this?" he grumbled. "'National Trick Zuko Day'?"

Katara's eyes twinkled in amusement as she leaned over to him, her hands supporting her upper body as she peered at him. "Oh-ho! So that's what's going on. What happened? Who tricked you? How? Oh, I bet it was Iroh, wasn't it?" she gushed, making Zuko give her an annoyed look which lost all its fervour due to his blushing face.

"Oh, hush. I'm not telling you."

"You do know I'm going to find out one way or another, right?"

He sighed, defeated. "Of course you are. But it won't be from _me_."

She grinned at him. "So, since you won't tell me who and how your were tricked before, mind telling me what you were thinking of just now?"

"Nope. It's none of your beeswax. Stop harassing me, woman."

She had laughed at him then, and Zuko couldn't help but smile at seeing her so happy. His smile only widened slightly with male pride and satisfaction in the knowledge that _he_ was the one who had made Katara laugh.

As she laughed, another soft breeze went by, this time from the north, and once more it played with the loose chocolate locks of the Waterbender. They danced around her shoulders, framing her face, making it seem like her laughter was magic and her hair wa laughing with her, as it crazy as that sounded.

Katara's laughter subsided into quiet giggles as she reached towards her face to move the loose locks of hair out of her face, but froze when a pale hand beat her to it.

Surprised, she looked at Zuko in awe as he softly moved the stray pieces of hair away from her face; his fingers lightly tracing her face as he moved his hand to gently tuck the loose hairs behind her ear.

"There," he said, giving her a tiny, gentle smile; his hand still hanging by her face.

Katara flushed a deep red, and when Zuko saw that, he also blushed madly, although only his cheeks became tinted whereas Katara had her whole face change color.

Quickly snatching his hand away, Zuko jumped up, his back stiff. "W-well, it's been a lovely evening Katara, but I, er, think we should go clean up for dinner."

"Yes, yes," Katara quickly agreed, standing up just as fast. "I agree with you, Lord Zuko. Thank you for giving up your evening for my triffles."

"Oh, it was n-nothing," he stuttered. "I love spending time with you. Well, I will see you at dinner, then, Lady Katara." He bowed to her.

"Yes, I'll see you there," Katara answered with a courtesy of her own.

Then they both half-walked half-ran to their rooms.

_What the heck was that?_ Zuko inwardly screamed once he was in the safe haven that was his room and had closed the giant wooden doors behind him.

Once he'd calmed himself down by having a bath and changing into more formal clothes, Zuko noticed that there was a note on his bed. He quirked an eyebrow. He could've sworn there was nothing there when he'd arrived from his visit with Katara.

At the thought of his blue-eyed friend, he blushed again, imperceptibly to anyone else but he could feel it in his face. He marched towards the bed and snatched the note, hoping that whatever it was would distract him from the awkward shyness he was feeling.

The note was from his Unlce Iroh.

_Dear nephew,_

_I just thought that you needed some words to take your mind off of things. You seemed awfully rushed after your evening off with Lady Katara. So here it is:_

'_The ability to laugh together is love.*'_

Zuko stared at the little note, not quite understanding what his uncle was getting at. "Laughing together is love?" he muttered to himself. "What does that have to do with anything?"

He remembered how for nearly the whole time he'd spent with Katara they'd both been laughing. Could that be what Iroh was referring to?

_But that would mean I love her_, he thought. _Me, in love with Katara?_

More than the question itself, he was somewhat surprised that he wasn't denying it nor trying to make up excuses. He was intrigued as to why that was. He shrugged. Sure he cared for Katara. She was his best friend. Loving her really wasn't that far off.

Just as he was about to throw away his uncle's note, he noticed that there was more writing on the back. He flipped it over and read.

_It's impossible to hide love in the eyes of the one who one loves.*_

He groaned, rubbing his face with his free hand. That really was the last thing he needed to hear – or rather, read. Once again, he was surprised about why he cared about his uncle's words. He usually learned a lot from him, but every time it was something about love, he's zone up. He wondered why this time he was so finely in tune with his words of love and the wisdom of it.

And that's how he found himself waiting for dinner to be called, groaning after collapsing on his giant red Firelord bed.

The world was just too darn confusing!

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><p><strong>*"The ability to laugh together is love." ~ Françoise Sagan<strong>

***"It is impossible to hide love in the eyes of the one who one loves." ~John Crowne**


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